Electric switch.



C. E. L l.. C. LAW.

ELECTRlC SWITCHj APPLICATION FILED Anaal, wals.

i --.1.,1 -i/ d 7%/M En BEST AvAiLAeLE cori-` tnvrrEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHANNING E.l LAW AND LoEENzo c. LAW,V or DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRIC SWITCH,

Specification of Letters Patent.

APatented sept. s, 1918.

Application led'Aiigust 31, 1916. Serial No. 117,878. v

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, CHANNINQ E. Law and LORENZO (LLAW, citizens 4of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denverand State of (l'olorad,v haveA invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and we do declare the.

'followingtodie a ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference icing had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the characters of reference -marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Y

This invention relates toswitches tobe used with electrically operated signaling devices for automobiles which indicate the direction of a turn or that the machine is about to stop.

The object is .to furnish a switch that will readily controlthe signaling deviceas well as control the horn.v

The invention is fully set forth in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings :e .v

Figure 1.-.is a vrear elevation showing an automobile with a signaling device with which the present invention is used.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrica-l connections' for the several parts.

Fig. 2l is a plan view of the switch box with operating lever extending therefrom.

Fig. 4 is a; similar view with the top plate or cover removed.

. Fig.' 5 is horizontal section taken on ap i' proxmiatcly the lilies 8-8, Fig. (i, with parts omitted. y

Fig. (l is 'a transverse section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 4.'

ln Fig. 1 a signaling casing 5 is shown at` tached to the uiachine and having openings in the form of oppositely disposed arrows'A an interposed block lliot' insu 21 and are positioned in alinement correspondmg to the stem of the arrow. ln like manner-,three lamps 23, 24yand are arranged -at the opposite end of the casing to illuminate the points of arrow ll, lamps 26 and 27 serving to light up the stem of said arrow. The tail lamp 28 is centrally positioned opposite the opening 'l`. The several lamps are connected by electric conductors with each other and with a )')lurality of terminal posts 2i), 30, 3l and 32 projecting beyond the bottom ot' the casing. The casing bottom is formed with an opening 33 having upwardly flaring sides terminating in an opening 34- ad jacent the tail lamp 28. A circular partition or wall 35 surrounds the tail lamp 28 to shield its light from the adjacent arrow openings, but a break is provided. in wall 35' opposite to and communicating with the opening'34 and flared opening It will be seen from the foregoing description that. alicense number suspended atthe bottom of the casing 5 will receive a downwardly directed light from the tail lamp 28.

Small circular partitions 3G and 37 are car-- ried on either side of the central partition 13' being so positioned as-to shield the arrow openings A and B from lamps 21 and 26 respectively. The purpose ot' these partitions will be more fully setforth. 1 The switch box 38 comprises a bottom or rear Aplate'39, a front or cover plate 40 and afting material. A' pair ot' plates 42 .and 43 formed of conducting material are secured to the bottom plate 3l) below the insulation block 41. The'blf'ick fil is -formed witha segmental piece` cut out to'pr vide 'a wV-shaped 'opening "l-'l in which is mounted an operating handle 4'5 being pivotally secured at its 'innerend by a; pin 46, the'ends of which engage with circular recesses Aformed in the cover and bottom platcsrespectively. 'lhe operating handle 45 comprises a metal hulrmember 47 and a V-shaped extension 48 `integral therewith otl substantially. inverted U cross section. A block 4-9 has its taperedend pivoted by a'horizontal pin` 5() lii the' inner part of the extension or holder 4 while its forof the electrical connections shown in ward end extends therefrom and terminates in the handle 51. A guide plate 52 extends across the forward edge of the V-shaped recess d4 in the insulating block 41 and is provided with a series of holes 53 with which a lug 54, carried on the upper surface of extension 48, is adapted to successively engage. A pair of spring tongues 55 are connected by ears 56 with the respective plates :l2 and 43. These. tongues extend along 'the sides of' the V-shaped recess 114 for a portion of their face of the insulating block 41 in which small electric lamps 62 and 63 are located. The. top cover plate of the switch box is provided with a plate 64- extending across thesc pockets and rovided with cut out arrows a and b simi ar in disposition vto the arrows A and B on the signal casing 5. -A series of terminals 65, 66, 67, 68 and 69 are provided at the rear of; the insulating block 41. Terminal is electrically connected by a contact piece 70 with plate 42; terminal 66 is connected by a wire 71 with the handle extension 48; terminal 67 is 'connected by wires 72 with the lamps 62 and 63; terminal 68 is connected by contact piece 73 with plate 43; and terminal 69 is connected by wires 74: with contacts 58.

Referring-now to thediagrammati View i .2 a wire 75 is connected at one end to termignal 65 and at its oppgsite end to lamp 22. The

wire 75 however 1s intercepted by a second conductor 7 6 which in turn 1s connected electrically with lamps 18, 19, 20 and 26. FromV terminal 66a' wire 77 extends and is joined to a wire 78, connecting one side of a battery B with one' of the terminals of a switch 7 9. A wire 80 connected with wire 78 connects with one post of a switch 81 controlling the tail lamp. From terniinal 67 an electric wire 82 extends to the casing and -scrves as the return conductor for the several lead wires. This wire is connected by a branch wire 83 leading. to the opposite'side of battery B. Terminal 68 is connected by a main conductor 84 which leads to lamp 27, and is provided with a branch conductor 85 leading to lamps 21, 23, 24 and 25. Terminal .69 is connected by a wire 86 with a conductor 87 which leads from the opposite side of switch 7 9 to one terminal on a horn 88, the otherterminal of which is connected by a wire 89 to wire`83 and thence to battery B. connected by a wire 90, with the tail light 28. In giving the preceding electrical connections it will be understood that the several wires leading to the lamps in the signal casing are merely leadlines' conducting the current. to the different, lamps; the wire 82 is used as a com ionv return -wire for closing the circuit in eac instance.

F rom the foregoing description the operation of the device' will bereadily under stood. lThe tail light 28 which is centrally located between the arrows A and B is The opposite terminal of switch 81. is4

adapted to b e lighted at night and to re-` 'main lighted allv the time the machine -isin use. The switch 8l controls this light-and current is supplied thereto by means of the wires 8O and 78 which connect with one side ofthe battery-B with wire 90 which' leads directly to the lamp 28 and the return wires 82 and 83 returning the circuit to the Otherside of battery B.

Assuming now that the machine is about to turn to the left the handle 51 being in its central position as shown in F ig. 2is moved -by the lamps 22 and 26'in addition to the tail lamp 28 which is in the same horizontal alinement and which is always burningt The electric circuits and the passage of the current for this operation arey as follows: The central metal handle holder 48 is connected through wires 77 and 78 to one side of thebattery B. `When this holder contacts with the spring contact member '55 the current passes through plate 42' and. by means of its electrical connection` with terminal 65 'the current is conducted along wire 75 directly to lamp 22 and by means of the wire 76 to lamps 18, 19, 20 and '26. The handle remains in this position until the machine again resumes a straight path when the handle is turned to its central position and the lights 18, 19, 20, 22 and 26 are extinguished.. In order to provide an additional signal or to attract the attention of the driver of a following machine tothe fact that a signal is being made, the horn 88 can be sounded by simply pushing' the passes as before from the battery through the central handle holder 48, thence through contact member 58 leaving the terminal 69, thence through conductor 86, Wire 87 to the horn 88-from whence the current is returned to the battery B by way of conductors 89 |and 83, thus an additional use of the horn 'through wires 87, 78, battery B and wires If it is desiredfto indicate that vthe machine is about to turn to the right the handle 51 is moved to the right sufliciently to cause the metal holder 48 'to come in contact with vthe spring 56 whereupon lamps 23, 24, 25,

27 and 21 will be illuminated to light arrow B and the stem extendingthroug and including the tail light28 and lamp21.

The current in this instance is' caused to pass through handle holder48, 'contact member 56 leaving the switch box `at terminal 68 from whence it is conducted to the lamp 27 directly by the wire 84 andv by branch wire 85'to lamps 21,27, 23, 24and 25. -A

further movement of the handle 51' to the right'will cause the Contact member 56 to abut againstthe contact 58 whereupon the horn ,88 will be sounded in exactly the same manner as referred to when the signal was described as indicatingla -turn to the left. vShould the driver wishtoindicate that the machine was about to stop, assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 it will only be necessary to press the handle 51 so as to cause it to move downwardly about the pivot pin 50 until the contact members 59 come incontact with the plates 42 and 43. This Willresult in theillumination of .all of-the lights in the'heads and stems of the arrows A B. The small lamps 62 and 63 located in pockets formed in the insulating block will 'be illuminated either. one at a time or both together, sinfmltaneouslyiA with the corresponding movement of the controlling handle 51 and will thus indicate by lighting upthe arrow openings formed-in the cover of switch box 38"whcther or'not'th'e lights ot' the main signal are l operating successfully;l The circuits for these auxiliary lamps (i2 and 63 are formed by means of the l'mnflle'causing a contact with either the plate. 42 or 43 or both the return circuit besol i ng conducted f rom terminal 67 by Wires 82 Y and 83 to a battery B.

lt will thus be seen that by means of our improved apparatus a visible. signal is llashed which will indicate to an approach-4 BEST AVAILABLE COP y y a ing or a following machine the ldirection about to be taken by the car on which the signal is carried. Aln addition to the flash of lightan audible signal is provided adapted to be sounded simultaneously with-the light of the visible signall A further ad'- vantage which the present invention pos i sesses is vthe provision of a miniature signal corresponding tothe illuminated signal and located at the switch box to indicate to the operator that the main signal is or is not working successfully.

claim is:

1. A switch including a casing, an insulating block located -in said casing and provided Having described our invention what we with a recess, a set of contacts carried by Said block, an arm pivotally mounted upon -the latter and adapted tomove laterally within the recess to alternately engage the.

contacts of said set, other contacts mounted upon the base of the .casing and a member pivotally mounted on the said armv and equipped with contacts adapted to engage the contacts supported by the said base.

2. A switch including a casing, an insulating block located in said casing and provided with a recess, two sets of contacts carried by the said block, an arm pivotally mounted upon the lattcr and adapted to move within the recess to engage oneof said sets of contacts and to also force the latterinto engagement with the other set of contacts, other contacts mounted upon the base of the casing anda member movably mounted on said arm and equipped with Lcontacts' adapted to engage the contacts supported by thesaid base for the .purpose set forth.

3. A switch comprising a block having a gage each ofthe first named contacts, an arm" pivotally mounted in the block, positioned within the recess and adapted'to move laterally therein -to engage said spring contacts and yto force the latter 'into engagement with said first named contacts,contacts on. said blockl extending over said recess, a member ivotally mounted 'in said arm and adapted lb engage the last named contactslat any time.

4. A switch'comprising 'a blockhaving a recess, a contact in said block at each side of the recess, contacts. on said block extending over said recess, an arm pivotally: mounted in` the block, positioned within the recess and adapted to be moved laterally therein to engage the first named conta'cts, and a. member pivotally mounted in the arm and adapted to engage said extending contacts.

A switch comprising a block, an arm pivotally connected with the block and adapted to swing relatively thereto, a contact on the block at each end ot' the path' of movement of the arm :mtl adapted to be in testimony whereof we al'lx our sgnaf engaged thereby :L member plvoted m the tures 1n presence of two wmwssvs. arm and adapted to swmg m :x plane verno-ul I'L'XNN ING E. LAW.

to the. path of movement, of the. arm, conn LORENZO C. LAW. tzu-ts on the block inn plum parallel to the Witnesses: p11-th of moven'lent of the- :l1-1n aduptvd to be (l1-ms. El PARSUNS,

engaged by said pivoted member. P. J. E. BUB'LNSON. 

